By Alice Damgaard Sprotte, AAU Communication and Public Affairs. Translated by LeeAnn Iovanni, AAU Communication and Public Affairs

Lill Rastad Bjørst, Associate Professor of Arctic Studies in the Department of Culture and Learning will be an academic leader on the Fulbright Arctic Initiative IV. In collaboration with another internationally renowned researcher, Dr. Elizabeth Lynne Rink from Montana State University, she will be in charge of academic management in 2024-26. Their primary task will be to supervise researchers who receive a grant to participate in the research collaboration on the Arctic in the next few years.

Lill Rasted Bjørst's research on the Arctic and Greenland began when she was a PhD fellow. For several years, she has been a major driving force in Arctic research at AAU where she helped start AAU Arctic. In addition, she has been a central figure in bringing together researchers across universities and countries for joint efforts such as the Polar Research Day and the first Greenland Science Week.

In recent years, her research has particularly focused on climate change and green transition in Greenland, and she has headed several major research projects. This led to her recently becoming scientific director of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities' major signature initiative on green research 'Green Societies' that involves more than 90 researchers from the six SSH departments.

Fulbright is an international education and research program, and the Fulbright Arctic Initiative brings together academics and researchers across the Arctic region to contribute to a sustainable and safe Arctic. Together they will contribute to solving issues like climate change, and find practical solutions that build community and improve the lives of those living in the Arctic.

Researchers may apply for grants for the Fulbright Arctic Initiative IV. The deadline is 1 March 2024.